It's the Truth That Kills You
by pamz
Summary: Based on Season 3 Episode "It Isn't the Fall That Kills You" (episode 3.03). Paige realizes she's fallen a lot farther than she thought. . .but the truth comes too late.


**Author's Note:** Came up with the premise for this little one shot while watching "that scene" in "It Isn't the Fall That Kills You" and adding some of my own headcanons to the mix. All the words in italics are from the episode.

BTW, PopTV is airing rerun episodes of Scorpion starting at 7:10 AM (Pacific Time, time in your location may vary) on Sunday mornings They're showing 5 episodes every week.

**Disclaimer:** This story is an amateur, not-for-profit publication produced solely for the enjoyment of other Scorpion fans and is not intended to infringe upon any rights of K/O Paper Products, Blackjack Productions, Perfect Storm Entertainment, SB Projects, CBS Television Studios, or anyone else.

**IT'S THE TRUTH THAT KILLS YOU**

She didn't always jump into a new relationship by sleeping with the guy within the first month. But the few times she had, it usually ended up being a disaster. Her first boyfriend in high school. Her prom date senior year. Her first boyfriend in college who also became the father of her son.

And now Tim. She'd meant to wait. Get to know him first. Decide whether or not he was someone she wanted in Ralph's life. In her life.

He lured her in by cooking dinner for her, topped off with a blueberry crumble for dessert. Pent up hormones from nearly a decade of celibacy had also played a big factor into her decision to let his seduction succeed. She'd fallen willingly into his arms and into his bed. At least that's what she told herself. She certainly hadn't been driven there by anger and frustration caused by someone else.

It hadn't been the best sex she'd ever had. But it hadn't been the worst. He cared enough to make sure she'd been satisfied as well. Which was more than some of the others had done.

Something had been missing though. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something that nagged at the back of her mind. Something she wouldn't admit to herself. Something she wished she'd known before she'd done something she couldn't erase.

And now that something was staring her in the face. Down on his hands and knees. His life in danger. His dark eyes exposing all the emotions he claimed he didn't have. All the pain he couldn't hide. All the guilt she couldn't ignore anymore.

"_I'm confused."_ She was, too.

"_I know, you're not getting enough oxygen."_ Her own breathing grew shallow as well.

"_No. It's because you picked Tim." _But she hadn't picked Tim. He'd been thrust at her like a consolation prize. One she accepted because she was tired of waiting for the prize she really wanted.

"_I know I can't be want you need." _Yes, yes he could be. He was loyal, protective, the perfect father figure for her son. And if she was honest with herself, she'd fallen for that rude, arrogant know-it-all the first day they'd met. How much did she really want him to change to be the man she thought she needed?

"_I know I can't be emotionally present the way you deserve. . ."_ Maybe not. But his EQ had skyrocketed in the last two years. He was learning his emotions were not something to fear. That even though they made him vulnerable, they didn't make him weak. He still had a way to go, but he was close. Close enough to get her hopes up.

"_But I always thought that. . .that eventually you'd want to. . .you'd want to be with me." _Oh, God. She did. She did want to be with him. She'd known almost from the minute she'd met him he was someone she wanted in her life, for the rest of her life.

"_And that's why it hurts."_ God, yes. It hurt. If his pain was anything like she was experiencing. . . It hurt like hell. And it was a hurt which would never quite ever go away.

"_Because. . .because I love you." _

Her vision blurred and she closed her eyes, the salty heat of her tears stinging her cheeks. He was seconds away from dying. Deprived of oxygen. Hallucinating an image of her which wasn't real, but real enough to him.

But it didn't matter if he was out of his head or not. He only stated facts. And the fact was he'd finally said them. Those three little words. The ones she'd been longing for him to say for over two years. The ones she'd thought she would never hear from his lips. The ones she didn't know would hurt so bad once they had been said.

But they were too late.

They had to be too late. She'd already done things she couldn't undo. Things she wouldn't have done if she'd known.

She owed him the truth though, not just what he wanted to hear. A truth she wished wasn't true. A truth that would kill her to deny because she'd fallen too far to lie to him.

"_I love you, too, Walter."_

**FIN**


End file.
